.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
The basic shape of these sauce-boats is identical to a pair of shell shaped sauce-boats by the same maker, which the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam received as a gift in 1991. (Bulletin van het Rijksmuseum 40 (1992) no. 3, p. 298; C. Vogelaar, 'Toiletspiegel', Vereniging Rembrandt, Nationaal Fonds Kunstbehoud 3 no. 2 (1993), p. 21). This pair, manufactured in 1767, lacks the flowers on the bowl and the rocailles under the feet.
Hendrik Fortman, together with his brother Abraham the leading 18th Century Leyden silversmiths, applied the decorative herm bust on the handle also on other objects, like for example on a cruet stand (1756) and on a sifter spoon (1759) (cat. tent. Leids Zilver, Leiden (Stedelijk Museum de Lakenhal), 1977, nos. 78, 84). Although identical sauce-boats are not found in contemporary Dutch silver, the cruet stand with the herm bust must have been rather popular at that time. Fairly similar cruet stands are known to have been made by the Amsterdam silversmiths Hendrik Keyzer (1757) and Otto Knoop (1764), and by Harlingen silversmith Johannes Spannenburg (1766). (See: Sales Christie's Amsterdam, 27 April 2004, lot 228; 14 October 2003, lot 341; Exh.cat. Fries Zilver, Leeuwarden (Fries Museum), 1968, p. 394-395, no. A 23).
Hendrik Fortman, together with his brother Abraham the leading 18th Century Leyden silversmiths, applied the decorative herm bust on the handle also on other objects, like for example on a cruet stand (1756) and on a sifter spoon (1759) (cat. tent. Leids Zilver, Leiden (Stedelijk Museum de Lakenhal), 1977, nos. 78, 84). Although identical sauce-boats are not found in contemporary Dutch silver, the cruet stand with the herm bust must have been rather popular at that time. Fairly similar cruet stands are known to have been made by the Amsterdam silversmiths Hendrik Keyzer (1757) and Otto Knoop (1764), and by Harlingen silversmith Johannes Spannenburg (1766). (See: Sales Christie's Amsterdam, 27 April 2004, lot 228; 14 October 2003, lot 341; Exh.cat. Fries Zilver, Leeuwarden (Fries Museum), 1968, p. 394-395, no. A 23).